Three Colours: Blue

1993 Director Krzysztof Kieslowski

This is the first of a trilogy of films by Kieslowski, loosely inspired by the colours of the French flag and their corresponding symbolic qualities, the basic focus of Blue is liberty.

It stars Juliette Binoche as the lone survivor of a car crash that killed her husband, a famous composer, and their only child. The husband left behind an unfinished composition that was the culmination of his life's work. The wife attempts at starting over, purging all remnants of her former existence in an attempt to sever her ties to the past, only to be repeatedly drawn to the music. In the end she decides to finish the work herself.

This is a meticulously shot film and the marks a new style that was to become Kieslowski's trademark.  He crafts the mood of this film so completely that when watching it, you find yourself immersed in the plight of Julie as she rebuilds her life. She is in all but 1 of the scenes. It set a very high standard which he kept consistently in the other two films in this series. In this film he introduces a number of recurring themes and has managed to produce a faultless piece of work.

Belle de Jour

1967 Director Luis Buñuel

This is satirist and surrealist Luis Buñuel adaptation of the 1928 novel by Joseph Kessel. This film dramatizes the collision between depravity and elegance, one of the favorite themes of director Luis Buñuel. Because of a question of copyright and ownership, Belle de Jour disappeared shortly after its 1967 release, not even resurfacing on videotape. When it was reissued theatrically in 1994, many critics placed this perplexing film on their lists of that year's best films.

Catherine Deneuve stars as a wealthy but bored newlywed. Early in the film she is kidnapped, tied to a tree, and gang-raped. It turns out that this is only a daydream, but her subsequent visits to a neighboring brothel, where she offers her services, certainly seem to be real. This illusion/reality dichotomy extends to the final scenes, in which we are offered two possible endings.

In 1967 this was probably a very avant-garde film exploring areas of sexuality that were taboo. In today's world this film has become very dated. I was disappointed when I revisited it. The acting by the principle actors is very wooden and staged. The daydreams are could have been a great deal more explicit and Belle's character does not develop in a smooth transition. On top of that there is quite a bit of poor editing. As a landmark film it's worth watching but it does require perseverance.

O'Horten

2007 Director Bent Hamer

This is a melancholic journey into a life that has been stripped of its meaning.

After 40 years of loyal service as a train driver, Odd Horton, retires and  realizes the path ahead is a journey without printed timetables and well-known stations. He empathises with his aged mother and her unrealised dreams of becoming a ski jumper in the times when women were not permitted to enter that sport. He ambles aimlessly through a series of mishaps until he decides to take control once more.

Beautifully shot against a Norwegian winter Bent Hamer captures much that is uniquely Norwegian, notably the incessant Bergen rain. This film is a wonderfully skewed view of the human condition, and gives us that somewhat absurdist vision with great warmth, a little melancholy and universal appeal.

Kontroll

2004 Director Nimrod Antal

This is Nimród Antal debut film. A journey into the Budapest underground. Superficially reminiscent of Luc Besson's Subway, this is a much darker tale.

Set in the Budapest subway system it deals with the lives of a team of ticket inspectors, their trials and tribulations with stroppy customers and their interactions with the denizens of this subterranean world. At the outset their chief remarks that the number suicides,or jumpers, is rising. The team leader of a motley crew of inspectors suspects that the rise is not what it seems and eventually confronts the serial killer with a breathtaking outcome.

The films starts quite oddly with a personal appearance of the real chief of the underground system reading a disclaimer to the effect that the Budapest ticket inspectors are not at all as portrayed and that their transport system is quite safe. That aside, this is a very well made film placing a dysfunctional team into extraordinary situations. I think it benefits a second viewing. Antal manages to generate an uncomfortably real feeling of menace when dealing with the protagonist and the revealing chase sequence packs a punch that will make you sit up.

Diva

Diva 1981 Director Jean-Jacques Beineix

Two tapes, two Parisian mob killers, one corrupt policeman, an opera fan, a teenage thief, and the coolest philosopher ever filmed. All these characters twist their way through an intricate and stylish Beineix film.

When young postman makes pirate recording of an American opera singer, he becomes the target of Malaysian music pirates. But when that tape becomes confused with a cassette of murder evidence, he also finds himself hunted by a team of ruthless killers. This is an unforgettable journey into the Parisian underworld of teenage shoplifting, exquisite opera and odd philosophy.
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Diva is a stunning combination of quirky romance, black comedy, savage action, not least for it's famous subway motorcycle chase. It is one of the most stylish and influential thrillers and makes for engaging and enjoyable viewing.

Micmacs

2009 Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Prepare to have your senses assaulted with rapid fire gags that will leave you reeling.

Bazil is the innocent victim in a drive by shooting, having already lost his father in a distant war. He is adopted by a rag tag group of misfits living in a scrap yard and solicits their help in plotting his revenge against two rival arms dealers.

Jeunet has created a true masterpiece in this film. Many of the favourite characters of Amelie and Delicatessen are here along with a host of new caricatures. There are running gags and homages to previous films, notably the cello and the saw from Delicatessen. It was a real delight to watch and the mere 101 minutes passed in seconds. This is fast paced slapstick at it very best. As with all of Jeunet's previous films the cinematography was faultless, the characterisations impeccable and the performances breath taking. This is a terrific roller coaster of a revenge movie.

Satyricon

1968 Director Federico Fellini

This film is a fabulous trip into a totally decadent civilization delivering a brilliant visual fantasy unlike anything you have seen before.

Step into the bawdy, erotic and titillating world of Rome during the days of Emperor Nero, where two competing teachers play tricks on each other while vying for the same lover's charms.  Paralleling the self-indulgence of modern society, these Roman citizens pursue their own gratification above all else, resulting in both intense pleasure and enormous despair displayed in visually seductive scenes that are both shocking , unprecedented and brilliantly stunning.

This is a visually stunning piece with elaborate sets beautifully filmed with the precision that is very like Fellini. The plot is complex and convoluted and sometimes difficult to follow if you're reading subtitles. Much of the Latin is not translated, which is odd since it's not far from Italian. But this means that some narrative appears unconnected and illogical at times. Nevertheless this is a visual feast of ingenious originality.

Les Vacances de M. Hulot

1953 Director Jacques Tati

The first appearance of Hulot and a masterpiece of gentle slapstick.

Pipe-smoking Monsieur Hulot takes a holiday at a seaside resort where his presence provokes one catastrophe after another.  Tati's wildly funny satire of vacationers determined to enjoy themselves includes a series of precisely choreographed sight gags involving dogs, boats, and firecrackers. 

This is a masterpiece of comic timing and running gags that made Tati famous. It's a delight to watch and captures a gentle, less rushed time, now long forgotten. Many of the participants were local people employed on the spur of the moment. The Hotel still exists unaltered in Saint Marc sur Mer, where this was filmed. In fact, the town erected a statue of Monsieur Hulot on the promenade overlooking the beach where most of the action was filmed. A very fitting tribute to a true cinematic gem.

Cronos

1993 Director Guillermo del Torro

This the Guillermo del Toro's directorial debut film.

The film tells the story of elderly antique dealer Jesus Gris who, with his eight-year-old granddaughter Aurora,  discovers an ancient artifact secreted within a statue obtained from the estate of a 16th-century alchemist. Unbeknownst to Gris, the device houses an immortal parasite which will grant eternal life to its host. Naturally, there is a terrible price for this gift, which Gris is doomed to discover after the object anchors itself to his body. He begins to develop an extreme aversion to daylight, as well as an agonizing thirst for human blood. To compound matters, dying millionaire has learned of the device's existence.

This is a classic Vampire tale albeit with an inventive twist to it. It pays homage to many of the classic films of this genre. The cover hails it as one of the greatest chillers of all time, but I think it falls short by quite a mark. The girl's role is ambiguous and her actions are counterintuitive for one so young. If you are a vampire film fan then this is probably worth the view. If this isn't your preferred genre then you're not missing anything by giving it a miss.

Fitzcarraldo

1982 Director Werner Herzog

This film is made more remarkable by the fact that the deed was actually accomplished rather than staged. It was a herculean undertaking.

This is the story of Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald, an extremely determined man and his obsession to build an opera house in the middle of the Peruvian jungle. The highlight of the story is Fizcarraldo's mind numbing effort to haul a 300 ton steamship over the mountains.

Never known to do anything by halves Herzog tackled Fitzcarraldo by boldly embarking on the same journey.  No trickery was used in filming this grueling sequence, and stories still persist of disgruntled South American film technicians awaiting the opportunity to strangle Herzog if he ever sets foot on their land again. In the end, Herzog proved to be as driven and single minded as his protagonist, and it is the audience's knowledge of this that adds to the excitement of Fitzcarraldo. His relationship with the his leading man, Kinski, became strained beyond breaking point and Kinski's savage outbursts so shocked the reserved and mild mannered natives that it is rumoured they offered to kill him for Herzog.